Alvin Kamara is finally making his return after a 4-game injury absence. But if he'd gotten his way, we'd have written that sentence a week earlier.
He's missed the past few weeks rehabbing from a hamstring injury suffered as he was rehabbing from the initial knee injury suffered in a Week 9 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The star running back was clear that he felt he was ready to play, but his coach wanted to play it safe.
"Close as in: I could've put my helmet on," Kamara said, ultimately agreeing with Sean Payton's decision to hold him out against the Dallas Cowboys.
But Kamara was quick to put the blame somewhere, and that was the cleats he was wearing when he tweaked his leg. It was the first time he'd switched cleats, after all.
He kept the brand a secret, but he did throw the shoes away. It was actually his second disposal choice. The day before Saints rehab director John Gress had offered to burn them, and Kamara was all aboard. But when he arrived the next morning, they were still in the locker room.
"I had to throw them away. I had to get the energy out," Kamara said. "I had to cleanse the locker room of that energy."
The Saints star running back was excited for his first press availability since early November, and the team will be even more excited to have him back on the field. Mark Ingram has gamely filled the void at running back, but the lack of offensive play-makers has been clear over a 5-game losing streak, and just 23 points combined over the past two games.
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Without Kamara or either starting tackle in Ryan Ramczyk and Terron Armstead, it's been tough sledding. That's also coincided with the team trying to find its way at quarterback after Jameis Winston's season-ending knee injury. Trevor Siemian went 0-4 as a starter. Taysom Hill is now 0-1 and working toward playing through a finger injury. He described it this week as a "work in progress."
"I think those line positions are something that this is the first stretch for us where there’s been games with both of them down," Payton said. "That’s a challenge.”
Payton said he's watching his quarterback, but hasn't seen any signs that the splint is causing issue. Ingram and veteran Ty Montgomery are currently on the COVID list, making for a thin backfield. Regardless, Kamara's skillset alongside Hill's, even if one is limited, can only be a positive thing. Despite missing those games, Kamara's 32 receptions are still the most among Saints players. Next on that list is Deonte Harris with 31, and he'll be suspended the next three games.
"I always want to put a stamp on the game," Kamara said. "Not being able to do that is tough, but you've got to think kind of grand scheme of things. ... I'd rather be fully available than halfway available."
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